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Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, has gradually gained status as one of the leading institutions to have received consistent global recognitions over the past few months.

These recognitions have been granted to faculty or the alumni by some of the globally- acclaimed academic, industry and scientific institutions.

In fact, over the last few months alone Masdar Institute has received five major global recognitions from diverse organizations. They include Borealis Student Innovation Award, inclusion of alumni Steven Meyers on the esteemed Forbes 30 'Under 30' achievers list, selection of a study by the faculty on the annual special edition of the respected Nanotechnology journal, selection of a paper co-authored by a faculty on the prestigious 'Science' journal, and winning of the 'elevator-pitch' competition at an entrepreneurship bootcamp in Singapore.

Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President of Masdar Institute, said: "These diverse recognitions reflect the wide spectrum of the research areas in which our faculty and students continue to excel. Our objective is to offer the right ingredients for the students to grow academically and contribute later to tackling climate change and its impact on the environment. Through the awards Masdar Institute has consistently demonstrated its contribution towards facilitating scientists in highly specialized sectors. We thank the UAE's wise leadership for their continuous support that has ensured our success in these areas."

The prestigious Borealis Student Innovation Award was won by Rana Qudaih, an alumnus majored in Mechanical Engineering, for her thesis on Polyolefins (plastics). Qudaih additionally received an opportunity to present her thesis in front of an august audience at the Borealis Innovation Day event in Linz, Austria. Qudaih, who was the first female winner of the master thesis award, was commended for her broadness and applicability of her work by a Borealis official.

Founded by Dr. Matteo Chiesa, the Laboratory for Energy and Nano Sciences (LENS) at Masdar Institute offers students unique research opportunities in advanced technologies. Part of the LENS team under the guidance of Dr. Peter Armstrong, Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Steven Meyers an alumnus who graduated in June 2011, was named in the esteemed Forbes 30 'Under 30' achievers list in the 'clean energy' category for his research in thermal and optical modeling of the Beam Down Solar Thermal Plant in Masdar City.

The editorial board of the respected Nanotechnology journal selected a fundamental study on nanoscale energy dissipation as part of a special edition that collects the highest relevant articles from 2011. The research group, led by Dr Matteo Chiesa, included Dr. Sergio Santos of LENS, the leading author of the manuscript, and a group of collaborators including Dr. Victor Barcons, Dr. Joseph Font, Dr. Albert Verdaguer and Dr. Neil H. Thomson from Spanish and British universities. Dr. Matteo Chiesa has already published his works in other scientific journals such as Nature Materials, Journal of Physics D and Solar Energy.

A paper co-authored by a UAE-based scientist Dr. Iyad Rahwan, Assistant Professor, Computing and Information Science, was chosen for publication by the esteemed Science journal. The paper analyses the tactics adopted by various teams during the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Network's Red Balloon Challenge, which measured the crowd-sourcing power of today's social media platforms.

A team led by Dr Raed Hashaikeh, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering won the 'elevator-pitch' competition titled 'Entrepreneurship Bootcamp: From Laboratory to Marketplace' at the INSEAD/SMART Entrepreneurship Bootcamp in Singapore. Dr Hashaikeh's team won the competition for effectively selling the idea that the novel biodegradable material produced from processing cellulose developed at Masdar Institute, could be used to improve water storage and availability in sandy soils.

Masdar Institute's research mission focuses on key energy and sustainability challenges and outlines strategic areas for applied research to address such challenges. Its strategy is aligned with the overarching Masdar initiative and a key new growth area for Abu Dhabi.

Established in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow. With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change.

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Background information

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Masdar Institute) was established by the government of Abu Dhabi as a not-for-profit, private graduate university to develop indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi addressing issues of importance to the region.More...

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Masdar Institute) was established by the government of Abu Dhabi as a not-for-profit, private graduate university to develop indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi addressing issues of importance to the region.

In collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute has developed an academic and research platform that articulates its mission and vision according to critical energy and sustainability challenges.

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In today's global business environment, the Arab region serves as a critical link between the East and the West. Informed by a wealth of local and international experience, APCO Worldwide helps clients to deftly manage regional challenges, and opportunities by combining high-level -strategies with flawlessly executed programmes, which enable our clients to be seen, heard and understood across the region.

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